OC Fashion Week Kicks Off This Sunday!

When you think about Fashion Week, it's always Paris, London, Milan and New York and perhaps a few glamorous scenes from The Devil Wears Prada. For most fashion-centric individuals, Orange County only comes up when talking about surfwear or swimwear—big sellers, but not exactly the most popular looks in the world of high-fashion.

While OC Fashion Week isn't on the same scope as the aforementioned style capitals, it has the potential to be. According to Fashion United, data from the Chapman University Anderson Center for Economic Research claims that Orange County produces $195 billion in economic output annually, with a third of that coming from retail sales.

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"As a British fashion designer myself, the numbers of $34 billion spent in retail for OC and $22 billion for London are some impressive comparative numbers, as OC has a third of London's population." says Claire Farwell, one of the designers at this year's OC Fashion Week.

As Orange County gradually climbs higher in the fashion industry's radar, OC Fashion Week continues to showcase the designers that help OC designers grow both locally and globally.

Originally founded in 2005 by the Elephant Man Foundation, OC Fashion Week has showcased promising and established local talent for 11 years. In 2013, the OC Fashion Council, a member-based advisory board of local retail buyers and luxury boutique owners, took over OC Fashion Week. The new emphasis is on supporting local designers and cultivating Orange County's international fashion presence.

OC Fashion Week runs from March 13-16. Events will take place all over Orange County, from The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, Dawson Cole Fine Art Gallery in Laguna Beach and The Art Institute of California in Santa Ana. Work from 26 fashion designers will be featured along with the World of Fashion Photography Awards and Fashioned for the Future, a student design competition judged by industry insiders and hosted by Mike Scocozza and Naima Mora of America’s Next Top Model.

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The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Orangewood Children’s Foundation benefit from a portion of OC Fashion Week ticket sales. Not only will you have the opportunity to indulge your inner fashionista, you'll also help out local charities while doing so. Now that's classy!